CIUDAD to - the Catholic Kingdom!

THE CORONATION 329
tion to the sacred temple and to the great blessings prom
ised through Mary to all her devout supplicants. Lu
cifer and his demons know very well that the inhabitants
of Saragossa and its neighborhood are much more
heavily indebted to the great Queen of heaven than many
other cities and provinces of Christianity. For it holds
within its walls the storehouse and fountainhead of
the favors and blessings, to draw which, others must
come from afar; therefore if its inhabitants, while pos
sessing these advantages, would lead a more wicked
life and consequently treat with contempt this conde
scending clemency, which no one can ever merit, then
certainly their ingratitude to God and his most blessed
Mother would provoke a greater indignation and pun
ishment in divine Justice. Joyfully I will confess to
all that shall read this history, that I consider myself
extremely fortunate in being permitted to write it in a
place which is
only two days foot-journey from the city
of Saragossa and I look upon that sanctuary with inmost
affection of soul, in acknowledgment of the debt, which,
as all know, I owe to the great Mistress of the world.
I
acknowledge also my obligations and my gratitude
toward the piety of that city. In return I desire urgently
to bring to the remembrance of its inhabitants the sin
cere and ardent devotion they owe to the most blessed
Mary, the favors they can obtain for themselves by it,
and the blessings they may lose by forgetfulness and
inattention. Let them consider themselves as more fa
vored and indebted than other faithful. Let them es
teem their treasure, happily enjoy it, and let them not
make the propitiatory of their God a useless and com
mon dwelling, converting
it into a court of justice; for
the most holy Mary has appointed it as a workhouse or
councilhouse of her mercies.
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